The demand for weight and CO2 reductions in cars puts polymer foams in a new light as innovative insulation or core materials. Especially for applications which require a low density combined with a large variety of shapes, particle foams play an important role. The small beads can be processed in a molding machine into ready-to-install components with complex geometries. In this contribution new developments in the area of particle foams with automotive relevance are presented. These include new foam particles, for example, based on engineering plastics or beads modified with nanoparticles, as further developments of the classic insulating materials expanded polystyrene or Neopor®. Another example is particle foams based on thermoplastic polyurethane, which have special elastic properties over a broad temperature range. In addition to new processing methods, discussion will look in particular at polymeric composite materials with highly rigid, usually fiber-reinforced injection molding carriers, a foamed core or visually and haptically appealing decorative film. New and exclusively polyolefinbased composite components, so-called PP multi-material systems with a core of expanded polypropylene (EPP) and a decorative layer of TPO, are a promising alternative. These composites can thus be used, for example, for future instrument panels or new seat concepts.
Particle foams as materials for future interior concepts
Partikelschäume als Werkstoffe für Interieurkonzepte der Zukunft
2014
14 Seiten, Bilder, Tabellen, 23 Quellen
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Englisch
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